Marketing ideas to help you grow your business
Here are 10 inspiring reasons to get things done, for the next time you need a little extra motivation.
And then, do it as well as you possibly can.
We rarely find a business that answers their support phone line as fast as their sales phone line.
We rarely find a business that has the courage to innovate.
We rarely find a business that shows genuine respect for the environment.
We rarely find a business that rewards their employees for using their initiative.
We rarely find a business that under-promises with its marketing messages.
We rarely find a business that is willing to take the lead on ethics.
We rarely find a business that sets deadlines and consistently achieves them.
We rarely find a business that offers a uniquely valuable service.
What’s even rarer, is to find a business doing all of the above. When we do, they attract our attention, our custom and our loyalty. And we tell everyone about them, too.
Could this be the best kept secret in marketing? I don’t know. Is it easier said than done? Sure. But it’s worth it my friend.
Dave from Perth, Australia, emailed me with a great question. He noticed that my blog is almost exactly 9 years old. In particular, Dave wondered how I have remained so passionate about marketing.
Here’s my answer. I hope you find it useful.
It’s a lot more specific than that. My passion is marketing small and medium-sized businesses. These are the businesses, where my work makes the most difference, in human terms. It’s that last part, the human part, which transforms my work from a job, into a passion.
For instance, last week, Kelly completed her year with me, on my 1 year marketing program. It has been exhilarating. Kelly now attracts the right kind of clients, the right kind of projects and earns the fees her work deserves. Moreover, she has a repeatable process in place, to grow her business exactly the way she wants to, year after year.
Kelly can now plan ahead with confidence. She looks to the future with excitement, rather than apprehension. And because she had been working long hours when her business was struggling, she now works fewer hours, which gives her more time to spend with her family.
THAT is what makes me passionate about helping small business owners.
Next week, I start working with a new client. I’m really excited about what we will achieve together. After a couple of days of research, I can already see that their potential is huge. So huge, it makes me tingle inside, just thinking about everything they will achieve. It’s exhilarating to think what their story will be, 12 months from now. I can’t wait.
As well as the work I do directly with my clients, I also get to help thousands of small business owners every day with the free information I offer online. From the emails I receive, I know that in some cases, I get to be a part of their stories too.
Yes, marketing has the potential to improve any business. However, it’s the human stories that matter most to me. That’s where my passion for marketing comes from.
You’re a professional. You have a superb business. You offer an excellent service. And you care passionately about your clients.
My question for you today my friend, is this: How clearly does that message come across in your marketing?
Think for a moment about the marketing messages you receive, from emails and social media updates, to advertisements, cold calls and direct mail, etc. Every marketing message is based on one of the following three motivations:
Greedy marketing repels people. Greed is one of those universally disliked attributes. It’s ugly. It’s selfish. We avoid greedy people and greedy businesses.
Needy marketing also repels people. We don’t dislike people because they’re needy. However, in business, as soon as the marketplace thinks a provider needs sales / money urgently, it sets alarm bells ringing. They worry that the provider may go broke. In either case, they’re way less likely to buy from them.
Deed driven marketing attracts people. A message of contribution makes us feel good about people. It’s an easy message to connect with. Deed driven marketing is about helping the community you serve. It attracts people’s attention, makes them feel good about you and and creates a powerful connection between you. Tip: I wrote something about this for you recently. Read this.
Here’s where the challenge comes in. Many small business owners who are deed focused, have no idea how greedy or needy their marketing looks. And it’s hurting their business.
Here’s what you need to know.
One common example is the use of freebies, such as free initial consultations. These are widely used by service providers, who dabble with their marketing and have no idea how much damage they’re doing to their reputation.
When you attach zero value to your time, you send a toxic message to the marketplace. The marketplace knows that the best service providers can’t afford to give their time away. So, if they see a provider offering freebies, it tells them that the service provider is under-employed, getting too few referrals… or in need (needy). This keeps the service provider in a negative loop, as the best clients are repelled and the freebie hunters (those who never pay anyone for anything) are attracted like moths to a flame.
Another common example is special offers.
These can also come across as needy or greedy, when handled incorrectly. And that’s exactly how the vast majority of small business owners handle special offers. They put their offers together, outside of a professional marketing strategy. In doing so, they can cause the marketplace to think there’s a so-called fire sale going on. Equally, the DIY use of special offers can train your marketplace to wait for the next special offer… making it hard to sell anything at the regular price. This eats profits and it’s totally avoidable.
In short, it pays to be extremely intentional regarding how you market your business. Think of the image you’re creating and whether it’s consistent with the kind of business you want.
And if it isn’t, improve it.
Your prospective clients or customers absolutely can afford your products or services.
Here’s what really stops people buying from you.
Let’s look at these in a little more detail… Plus, how to remove these barriers so you make more sales or attract more clients.
No matter how great your products are. No matter how outstanding your services are. You will never make a sale if you’re talking to the wrong people.
For example, if you provide a premium product or service, which rightly has a premium price tag, you’re wasting your time marketing to the bargain basement crowd. Yes, very occasionally you may be able to change someone’s world view. However, you’re far more likely to sell premium services, if you market to those who value premium service.
The key phrase here is this: Market to the dissatisfied, not the disinterested.
It’s never about the money. It’s always true that your prospective customers can afford your products or services.
Here’s why: If someone can’t afford what you offer, they were never a prospective customer!
Identify who your ideal prospective customer is and make them the focus of your marketing.
The word motivation comes from a fusion of the words motive and action. When the motive (or reason) is powerful enough, we take action.
Most small business marketing is terrible. It’s generic. It’s predictable. And it’s extremely ineffective.
It’s all about attitude: Many small business owners dabble with marketing. They will pay an expert to cut their hair, but they’ll willingly risk their financial future with lousy, DIY marketing.
This is great news if you want your business to thrive! That’s because you can crush your competitors, simply by being professional enough to invest in expert marketing.
For your marketing messages to work, people need to believe them. They need to trust you enough, to accept that what you’re telling them is true.
Sadly, many sales are lost through a lack of trust, even though the marketing message is 100% true. Even though the promises and guarantees are completely legitimate.
So, why does this happen and what can you do about it? Trust is lost when there’s a disconnect between:
Here are some common examples:
If you notice anything that could cause a stranger to get a negative impression of your business, fix it. And fix it today. It’s that important.
The success of your business, (of any business), is simply a decision. It’s the decision to do the right things, correctly. So choose success. Then act accordingly.
It’s really important that your prospective clients (or customers) hire you or buy from you. And not for the most obvious reason!
Allow me to explain.
If your prospective clients go to one of your competitors, you have no way of knowing what kind of lousy service they could receive.
Anything could happen to them!
On the other hand, you know for certain what will happen if a prospective client hires you.
In short, if they choose you, you know they will be delighted.
I have clients today, who first hired me 2 decades ago. This marketing mindset is what attracted them, and my total commitment to their success is what keeps them coming back.
I recommend you do the same.
You see, I truly believe you have a professional obligation to ensure that your prospective clients hire you or buy from you. Why? Because it’s the only way you can guarantee for certain that they will not be disappointed.
Now consider this:
Like me, you care passionately about your clients. You take huge pride in the quality of your work and the happiness of your clients. So let the marketplace know. Show them that their total satisfaction is your goal. Make that message the cornerstone of your marketing.
Because it’s exactly what they want to hear… and you know that what you’re saying is the truth.